Why Pigeons Aren’t Going Away for the Winter

October 25, 2018

Have you ever seen a pigeon standing on a frozen puddle or waddling around on a snowbank? If you have, then you can probably guess why they don't go away for the winter. These birds can deal with the cold. But that is only half of the reason why they stick around. While other pest birds are heading South where warmth and food are available, pigeons can find warmth and food right here in our service area of Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky. Let's take a look at why.

Food

Pigeons are opportunistic eaters, which are well adapted to the urban landscape. They can find all the food they need in dumpsters, trash cans, trash piles, vegetable gardens, and more. They don't worry when the insects disappear for the winter and the earthworms are hidden under snow and hardened soil. There's plenty of food for them to eat—when humans are around.

Warmth

Pigeons commonly exploit holes and gaps in residential and commercial structures. When they do, they can find a nice warm place to be for the winter. Heat rises. That makes attics the perfect place for a winter roost.

What To Do About Pigeons

Before pigeons invade your home or business, it is important to seal any gaps, cracks, or holes they might exploit. Be sure to prevent the feeding of birds on your property. And make sure your trash is in sealed and protected trash containers. You also need to apply some scare tactics to keep those birds away. For small bird threats, it is sometimes possible to place a plastic snake or a scare balloon on potential roosting sites to deter these birds. But this only works for a short period of time. Pigeons are extremely smart. The best solution is to hire a bird control specialist to install bird spikes, shock traps, and other deterrents. These have much greater success at keeping these smart birds away permanently. If these fall short or are inappropriate for the bird control needed, your bird control specialist can use netting and/or other exclusions to get the job done.

If you need assistance with bird control in Illinois, Indiana, or Kentucky, Action Pest Control is the right choice. We have a long track record of success using humane bird control measures to protect homes and businesses. Give us a call to learn more about our commercial pest control solutions that are designed to protect your business from the damages pests can cause.

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